Valve mechanism.



E. M. WHITE.

VALVE MECHANISM.

APPLICAUUN min ma. 20, 15H12.

Patented July 4. 1916.

a novel VUNITED STAIEIATENT OFFICE. i

ERNEST M. WHITE, OF GLOBE, ARIZONA, ASSIGNOR TO PACKARD MOTOR CARCOMPANY,

0F DETROIT, MICHIGAN.

VALVE MECHAN ISM.

Specication of Letters Patent.

Patented July 4, 1916.

Application ledFebruai-y 20, 1912. Serial No. 678,852.

To all whom t may concern Be it knownthat I, ERNEST M. WHITE, a citizenof the United States, and a resident of Globe, Arizona, have inventedcertain Improvements in Valve Mechanism, of which the following is aspecification.

One ob'ect of my invention is to provide orm of valve mechanismparticularly adapted for use in connection with multicylinder internalcombustion engines, whose construction and arrangement of parts shall besuch as to cause the valves to wear evenly, the lubricant to be suitablydistributed and the distortion of the cylinder structure from unequalexpansion to be reduced to a minimum.

I further desire to provide a novel form of valve mechanism for internalcombustion engines which shall be relatively inexpensive to manufacture,and of such construction that there shall be no side pressure on thevalves duc to the thrust of gears or the pull of a chain and in whichthe valves nccd not necessarily be in line with eachother.

I also desire to provide rotary valve mechanism for multi-cylinderinternal combustion engines which shall be so arranged, and of suchconstruction that ifone or a` pair of the cylinders becomes damaged itmay be replaced with the utmost convenience; the construction being suchas to permit the various pairs of cylinders being cast separately.

These objects and other advantageous ends I secure as hereinafter setforth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, in which g-Figure 1 is a horizontal section on the line ai-a, Fig. 2 of amulti-cylinder engine equipped with my invention; Fig. 2, is a verticalsection taken through the center line of the valves Fig. 1', and Fig. 3is a vertical section on the line b-b Fig. 1.

In the above drawings I have shown the engine as constructed with fourcylinders 1, 2, 3 and 4 of which there are two in each of two cylindercastings 5 and 6. Eachcylinder has at its upper end two ports 7 and 8,of which the first in each instance opens into an elongated cylindricalcavity extending horiaoutally through the two castings 5 and G. Saidcavity has opposite each cylinder an upwardly extending inlet port 9 anda downwardly extending exhaust port 10, there being rotatably mounted`in said cavity adjacent each of the ports 7 an enlarged rotary valve. Aspark plug or other suitable charge igniting device (notshown) ismounted in each of the ports or openings 8. These four valves, indicatedat 11, 12, 13 and 14, are respectively connected together by some formof universal joint; those between the valves l1 and l2, and 13 und 14consisting of relatively short cylindrical pieces 15 und 1G eachconnected to its associated valves by two pivot pins 17 and 18 whichextend in lines substantially at right angles to each other.

As shown in the drawings the pieces 15 and 16,115 well as two othercoupling pieces 19 und 20, extend loosely into suitable cavities oi'their valves, so that they are free to move laterally to a limitedextent on their pivot pins.

The coupling piece 20 connects the two valves l2 and 13, to which it isattached by pins 17 and 18 respectively and is of greater length thanthe pieces 15 and 16 in view of the greater distances between the twocylinders 2 and Obviously, however, all of the connecting pieces may beof the same length, or of different lengths without departing from myinvention.

The valve 11 is connected by the coupling piece 19 to the enlarged end2l of a driving shaft 22, which is provided with a squared portion 23for the reception of a sprocket wheel 24, or other driving means asdesired. The squared part of said. shaft is free to slide longitudinallythrough this driving wheel and is preferably -inclosed in a casing 25,which has a bearing for a rotary member 2G connected in any suitablemanner to a driving wheel 27, in the present instance shown as in theform of a langed pulley. That end of the shaft 22 which extends into therotary structure 2G is provided with a projecting pin 28 fitting into arecess 29 formed in said rotary structure Q6. A plate 3() is mountedbetween said structure and itl the sprocket wheel E24, and is flangedadjacent the shaft so as to coperate with the pin engaging part of therotary member 2G in providing means whereby as the wheel 27 is turned, alongitudinal reciprocating movement is given to the shaft 22 through themedium of its pin 28 and hence to the four valves connected to it. Thesetwo structures 26 and 30 therefore form a cam for moving the shaft 22independently of, and out of time with the sprocket 24: which rotatesthe various valves; the wheel 2T being driven from some rotating part ofthe engine, capable of attaining this end. Under operating conditionstherefore, the sprocket wheel 2i is turned through a chain Svfrom asprocket wheel 3l, which in turn is driven through a chain from asprocket Wheel 3G on the main shaft of the engine.

As before noted, the wheel 27 is driven at any suitable speed from somepart not in time with the sprocket wheel 2i, so that by reason of theaction of the cam on the pin 28, the shaft 22, and with it all four ofthe valves, are longitudinally reciprocated in such a manner that agiven point on one of said valves seldom contacts with another givenpoint on the walls of the valve cavity except at relatively longintervals of time. As a consequence the lubricant, which may be suppliedto the valves in any desired manner, is very uniformly spread over theirentire surface and there is no opportunity for said valves to wear inrings or otherwise unevenly. Moreover by reason of the fact that thevalves are connected together and to their driving shafts by universaljoints, they do not bend or cut by reason of any distortion which mightoccur owing to the unequal contraction or expaul sion of the cylinderstructures under operating conditions. `It is not necessary that theelongated cylindrical cavity for the various valves be made with suchaccuracy as is necessary if the valves are rigidly connected. for saidvalves can operate satisfactorily even if they are slightly out ot line,and under conditions of use, there is no side pull or pressure on any ofthe valves from the driving chain The wheel 27 is driven through a belt38, passing over a pulley on the intermediate shaft 39 of differentdiameter from the sprocket wheel 3iwhich drives the chain 33, so thatthe reciprocation of the valves is not in time with their rotation. Thevarious valves 11. l2, 18. 14 may be made of any suitable designalthough in the present instance I have shown them as cylindrical inform and each provided with transverse recesses 11, 12, 13 and H as thecase may be placed to alternately connect the cylinder ports with theinlet and exhaust ports.

As understood bythose skilled in the art,

the rotation of the various valves successively admits fuel to the`various cylinders through ports 9 and 7, and thereafter permits escapeof the gases of combustion through the ports 7 and 10.

I claim:

1. The combination in an engine of a cylinder; a piston within thecylinder; a valve chamber; a valve therein; means for rotating the valvein time with the movement of the piston; and independent means forlongitudinally moving the valve out of time with its rotary movement toprevent any, point on said valve contactingA with a given point on thewall of the valve chamber eX- cept at relatively long intervals.

2. The combination in an Aengine having a plurality of cylinders, of apiston for each cylinder; a series of valves for said cylinders; meansfor rotating the valves in time with the pistons of their respectivecylinders; and other means for longitudinally reciprocating the valvesat a rate out of time with their rotary movements.

The combination in an engine of a series of cylinders; pistons therefor;a series of valves for the cylinders; relatively loose connectionsformed to permit universal movement between the various valves; meansfor rotating the valves; and means for reciprocating the valves.

4. The combination in an engine of a seriesof cylinders; pistonstherefor; valves for said cylinders; a driving member for rotating thevalves; a cam for longitudinally moving the valves out of time with saiddriving member; and independent means for respectively operating thecani and the driving member.

5. The combinationv in an engine of a series of cylinders having portsand provided with an elongated cylindrical cavity communicatingtherewith; valves in said cavity respectively adjacent the ports of thecylinders.; universal joints between the valves; a driving shaft;universal joints between one valve and said shaft; a driving memberslidably mounted on the shaft rotatably connected thereto a camoperative on the shaft for longitudinally moving the same; and means foractuating the cam, the parts being proportioned to cause thelongitudinal movement of the valves to be out of time with their rotarymovement.

6. In a hydrocarbon motor, the combination 'with the motor base andseparated cylinder blocks mounted-thereon, of a rotary valve in each ofsaidcylinder blocks for controlling ports therein, and a universalcoupling between said valves whereby one may be driven by the other.

7. In a hydrocarbon motor, the combination with the motor base andseparated cylinder blocks mounted thereom of a horizontal rotary valvein each of said cylinder In testimony whereof, I have signed my blocksfor controlling ports therein, and a name to this specification, in thepresence universal coupling between said valves of two subscribingWitnesses.

whereby one may be driven by the other, ERNEST M. WHITE. said couplingbeing mounted in the ends of Witnesses:

the valves independently of the cylinder MARY KAVANAUGH,

blocks. R. L. ALDERMAN.

copies of this patent may be obtained for ive cents each, by addremngthe "Commissioner o! Intente, Wellington, D. U."

tai rotary valve in each of said cylinder In testimon h l n y W ereofhave s1 e In blocks for eontrolhng ports thereln, and a name to thisspeccation, in the ggesencyev unlversal couphng between sald Valves oftwo subscribing Witnesses.

Wbereby one moy be drivenV by the other, ERNEST M. WHITE sald eoupllngbelng mounted in the ends of Witnesses: u te 1valves. y lndependently ofthe cylinder MARY KAVANAUGH,

. oc (s.

R. L. ALDERMAN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained tor ive cents each, by drh-suingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. 0.

It '1s hereby-eertied that in 'Letters Patent No. 1,189,894, granted Jny4, 1916, upon the application of Ernest White, of Globe, Arizona, for animprovement in Valve Mechanism, an error appears in the printedspecification requiring oorrection as fovlows Pegel, line 56, for theWord venlargedf reed elongated; end that the said Letters Patent shouldbe read with this.eorreotionv therein that the same may onform to therecord ofthe oase in the Patent Ooe.i I

,signed and Sealed this 25th day of July, A. D., 1916.

[SEAL] I f y y E. W. H. CLAY,

, Acting Commissioner of Patents. C1. 121-24.

It is hereby certified that in Letters Patent No. 1,189,894, grantedJuly 4, 1916,

upon the application of Ernest M. White, of Globe, Arizona, for enimprovement in "Valve Mechanism, an error appears in the printedspecification requiring correction as follows: Page 1, line 56, for theword enlarged read elongated; and

that the said Letters Patent should be read with this correction thereinthat the same may conform to the record of the case in the PatentOttico.

VSigned and sealed this 25th day of July, A.. D., 1916.

[SEAL] F. W. H. CLAY,

Acting Commissioner of Patents. Cl. 121-24.

